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André van Zyl

Contact Info

Skills

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André van Zyl

Public Health Data Analytics Professional

André is a public health data analytics professional with approximately ten years of work experience in research, technology, analytics, public health, behavioral health, and education. His current career interests revolve around digital analytics and data science, electronic data acquisition, epidemiology, and monitoring and evaluation. As a native South African, he is used to working in resource-limited settings where meeting objectives and timeline goals require collaboration and creativity. He has been working on US COVID-19 projects since March 2020. Prior to his work on COVID-19 projects, he has been responsible for monitoring and managing data collection for a research project with 27 sites in three South African provinces.

Professional Experience

Independent Contractor

Dimagi

Cincinnati, Ohio

Present - June 2020

  • Work in application development and configuration for US COVID-19 contact tracing partners using the CommCare platform.
  • Quality assurance.
  • Create technical documentation of application systems, requirements clarification, and LOE estimates, and provide additional clarity to clients about the system.
  • Utilize Asana for project communication and management.
  • Conduct data literacy capacity building sessions with our partners.

Consultant

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

April 2020 - March 2020

  • Worked with the REDCap Team on the University Health Service’s data and analytics efforts in the COVID-19 surveillance and outbreak response.
  • Utilized Google Docs and Google Sheets for project communication and management.
  • Aided in defining objectives and priorities.
  • Analyzed and reported on operational data.
  • Exported and transformed REDCap data using the RStudio programming environment to ensure clinicians and administrators have timely access to actionable data.
  • Advised on business continuity planning and expansion.
  • Identified and engaged with service providers who could assist with system improvements.

Data Manager

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa

June 2020 - Sep 2017

  • Drafted the data management section of the protocol.
  • Led project planning and implementation related to data collection and management.
  • Developed the mobile data collection application on the CommCare platform.
  • Configured the short text messaging system used to communicate with participants.
  • Ensured that the mobile data collection application met the research project’s protocol specifications and operational needs.
  • Contributed to questionnaire improvement and translation to CommCare.
  • Developed video recordings, presentations, and documents used to train field staff.
  • Trained coordinators and fieldworkers on using Android OS, internet communication tools, the data collection application, and questionnaire completion.
  • Created project performance reports and visual data representations using RStudio. My resume is an example of such a report written in RStudio.
  • Refined the mobile data collection application based on feedback from the research team, the project manager, the coordinators, and the team working at the clinics.
  • Provided local and remote technical and data collection support to 27 fieldworkers and three project coordinators.
  • Managed the data collection operations with the help of RStudio, the CommCare Data Export Tool, WhatsApp, and the on-the-ground help of the project manager.
  • Ensured that the researchers were blinded.
  • Generated detailed Microsoft Word reports in RStudio, highlighting outliers and inconsistencies in the data.
  • Programmatically cleaned data based on the feedback from the districts.
  • Programmatically generated neatly structured and labeled STATA data files from our research data stored on a local PostgreSQL server.

Title of the research: ImPROving TB outcomes by modifying LIFE-style behaviours through a brief motivational intervention followed by short text messages (ProLife): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Data Administrator

The Foundation for Professional Development

Pretoria, South Africa

Sep 2017 - Sep 2016

  • Supported project planning and implementation.
  • Supervised on-site data collection at participating research clinics.
  • Conducted literature reviews.
  • Supported data cleaning.
  • Assisted with budgeting and procurement of research supplies.
  • Contributed to questionnaire improvement and translation.
  • Provided training to numerators.
  • Co-authored journal article on mental health care integration.

Support Consultant

ITSI

Pretoria, South Africa

May 2016 - Jan 2014

  • Utilized Google Docs, Google Sheets, and software developers’ project management tools.
  • Supported the implementation of the ITSI eLearning platform in South African schools.
  • Trained teachers and learners on how to use the ITSI eLearning platform.
  • Provided quality assurance on electronic textbooks.
  • Developed training material.
  • Provided helpdesk support.
  • Tested the ITSI eLearning platform and recommended product improvements.
  • Advised the software development team on product improvements based on feedback from our clients.

Behavioral Therapist

Zizi Centre for Children with Autism

Pretoria, South Africa

Jul 2014 - Feb 2014

  • Provided Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to children with developmental disorders.

Support Counselor

Harmony Addiction and Psychiatric Care

Cape Town, South Africa

  • Provided supervision and support to clients at the facility.

Jul 2013 - Jan 2013

Research Assistant

Nelson Mandela University Department of Nursing

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Jul 2012 - Oct 2011

Title of the research: Help-seeking behaviour, barriers to care and experiences of care among persons with depression in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

  • Aided in questionnaire improvement.
  • Performed informed consent and conducted structured interviews with participants to collect research data.

Internet Service Provider

Sole Proprietor

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Jun 2008 - Jul 2005

  • Started a small business providing WiFi internet access to students.

Education

University of Pretoria

Master of Public Health

Pretoria, South Africa

2016

Thesis: Health education resources available to high school Life Orientation educators in Tshwane, South Africa.

Modules:

  • Biostatistics
  • Communication in Health
  • Disease Control
  • Environmental Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Management
  • Health Promotion
  • Human Nutrition and Public Health
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Project Management in Healthcare
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Social Determinants

Nelson Mandela University

BA General, Sociology and Psychology

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

2010

Publications

Striving for Equity: Life Orientation Resources in South African High Schools

Accepted for publication in the May 2021 issue of the South African Journal of Education

N/A

2021

André van Zyl, Elizabeth M. Webb, Jaqueline E. Wolvaardt

Mixed-methods evaluation of mental healthcare integration into tuberculosis and maternal-child healthcare services of four South African districts.

BMC Health Services Research volume 19, Article number: 83 (2019)

N/A

2019

Kathryn L. Lovero, Samantha L. Lammie, André van Zyl, Sharon N. Paul, Phuti Ngwepe, Jennifer J. Mootz, Catherine Carlson, Annika C. Sweetland, Rachel C. Shelton, Milton L. Wainberg & Andrew Medina-Marino

Volunteer Experience

JuPHASA Chair

PHASA

South Africa

Sep 2017 - Sep 2016

Professional Development Courses

Data Science Specialization

Offered by Johns Hopkins University on Coursera

N/A

2020

Statistician with R

Offered by DataCamp

N/A

2019

Data Scientist with R

Offered by DataCamp

N/A

2019

The Complete SQL Bootcamp (10% Completed)

Offered by Pierian Data Inc. on Udemy

N/A

2019

Oracle SQL: A Complete Introduction (50% Completed)

Offered by DatabaseStar on Udemy

N/A

2019

SQL Fundamentals (60% Completed)

Offered by DataCamp

N/A

2019

CommCare Application Building

Offered by Dimagi on Dimagi Academy

N/A

2019

CommCare Fundamentals

Offered by Dimagi on Dimagi Academy

N/A

2019

Data Management for Clinical Research

Offered by Vanderbilt University on Coursera

N/A

2017

Good Clinical Practice Certificate Course

The Foundation for Professional Development

Pretoria, South Africa

2017

Project management principles and practices

The Foundation for Professional Development

Pretoria, South Africa

2016

Counselor and Support Group Facilitator Training

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group

Johannesburg, South Africa

2013

Basic Training in Applied Behavior Analysis

The Zizi Centre

Pretoria, South Africa

2014

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (SIT TESOL)

Nelson Mandela University

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

2012